


Clueless

by Girlcommaplease



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: F/F, Inspired by Clueless (1995), Minor Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Minor Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:00:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27499804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Girlcommaplease/pseuds/Girlcommaplease
Summary: Adora is a virgin who can't drive.The Clueless AU you didn't ask for.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 105





	Clueless

**Author's Note:**

> This idea has been in my head for months. I started writing it in September. 
> 
> I really hope y'all enjoy this!!!

When Adora was a baby, she was adopted by a single mother. It's generally harder for single people to adopt, but when you're rich, the rules tend to be a little different, and Mara is loaded.

She's a defense attorney, and she's very good at her job. Adora grew up wanting for nothing. When she decided she wanted to learn to ride a horse, her mom got her a beautiful white stallion that she named Swift Wind. She goes to the best school in the state with her best friends, Bow and Glimmer.

Her life is pretty much perfect. Or it would be, if her annoying ex-step-sister wasn't staying with them.

"Be nice to your sister!" Mara tells her the day before Catra is set to move in.

"She's literally not my sister!" Adora exclaims.

She's really not. 

When Adora was six, Mara had married the most terrible person in the world. Maybe not  _ actually  _ the most terrible person in the world, but she always got mad at Adora for being loud, or leaving toys out, or generally being a human child. Adora doesn't actually remember what her name is- she started to call her Shadow Weaver when she complained about her to Bow and Glimmer, and the name just sort of stuck. Adora's also not sure why Shadow Weaver hated her so much, when her daughter was an absolute terror.

Seriously, Catra was the meanest kid. She never let Adora play with her and her friends, and she took Adora's toys. 

Mara and Shadow Weaver only stayed married a year, but Mara still keeps in touch with Catra, because apparently she likes to stay in touch with mean, awful brats.

So when Catra told Mara she would be going to Bright Moon University for college, Mara told her she could live with them.

Like, in their  _ house.  _

And sure, it's a giant mansion with a dozen bedrooms. 

But she still doesn't want Catra living  _ in her house. _

She catches a ride to school with Bow that morning. She doesn't have her driver's license yet. Apparently, the people at the DMV are super particular about not hitting cones when you parallel park, and they definitely don't like it when you run red lights. Who knew?

"And she ate all of my Greek yogurt last night. What am I supposed to put in my protein shake after softball practice?" Adora complains.

"Maybe she didn't know it was yours?" Bow defends. Bow is kind of a total sweetheart. He doesn't know the ways of the world. He doesn't understand that everyone isn't kind like him. Some people just eat your Greek yogurt without even thinking about your protein goals.

"She knew," Adora says darkly. 

They get to homeroom, and there's a new girl in class. Her name is Scorpia, and her outfit is a travesty. Like, an absolute rainbow of beige. She's taller than Adora by quite a bit, and she's got biceps for days. She'd probably make an excellent addition to the softball team. 

Adora decides to do the world a public service and take Scorpia under her wing. It's hard to start at a new school as a senior, she reasons. 

That weekend, she has Scorpia come over to her house for a Best Friend Squad Makeover.

There's a shopping trip and everything. Once they get her out of her oversized anime t-shirts and into some actually cute clothes, it turns out Scorpia's kind of a babe.

But then the ultimate betrayal comes.

"I was thinking I could set you up with someone at school," Adora tells Scorpia as they lounge in Mara's pool.

"There is someone I'd kind of like to get to know," Scorpia admits, and Adora is ready to be a matchmaker. 

"Who?" she asks excitedly.

"Perfuma," Scorpia says softly.

"Ew," Glimmer gasps. 

" _ No,"  _ Adora says immediately. "I guess she's nice enough, but Perfuma is a  _ total _ stoner. I'm sure we can come up with someone else. Like Lonnie! She’s single again!"

“Lonnie would be so great for you,” Bow agrees.

“If you say so. Gosh, you guys are so nice to look out for me!” Scorpia says.

They really are, Adora decides. She’s telling Catra about it later when they’re on the couch arguing over what to watch. Catra wants to watch  _ the news,  _ and, like, why watch the news and be depressed when Adventure Time is on?

“It doesn’t sound like you’re helping her,” Catra says, tucking her feet onto the couch and generally taking up too much space.

“What? It’s basically community service,” Adora argues. Scorpia was really unhappy at her old school, she’d told them, and Adora was pretty sure she could make her one of the most popular girls in school. Maybe not as popular as Adora, but that’s a level of popularity few achieve. 

“You’re not going to improve this girl’s life by making her popular,” Catra replies.

Adora tucks her feet under Catra's butt for warmth, and Catra squawks but allows it to happen. 

“Um, that’s  _ exactly  _ what I’m going to do,” Adora says. For being pre-law, Catra sure can be dense. “Of course she’ll be happier when she has more friends. Not everyone is a loner like you.”

“Friendship is quality over quantity,” Catra insists. 

“That assumes the quantity is greater than zero,” Adora says sweetly, before hopping off the couch. Catra tosses a throw pillow at her, but she dodges it. 

*****

The next day, Adora gets the worst mid-term report card she has ever received. She has a  _ C  _ in statistics. She only chose to take statistics to get out of taking calculus, so why is this class proving to be such a struggle?

Actually, scratch that. She knows why.

It’s because Ms. Light-Hope just does not get her. 

Adora swears she’s like a robot or something. 

She doesn’t laugh at her jokes, and she’s the only teacher who regularly gives Adora tardies when she’s  _ basically on time. _ How is she supposed to get across the school, say hi to her friends and change a tampon in a five minute passing period? It cannot be done. It is outside the realm of possibility. Ms. Light-Hope teaches probability. She should understand this, but when Adora talks to her about it, she doesn’t even smile  _ at all _ . 

She complains about it to Glimmer, Bow, and Scorpia during lunch that day.

“Ugh, I know. She’s the worst. I bet she just needs to get laid,” Glimmer says, stealing a fry from Bow’s tray.

“We should totally set her up with someone,” Adora says. Their plan with Scorpia has been going great- she’s already had two totally successful conversations with Lonnie. Adora is pretty much a professional matchmaker at this point. She is feeling very confident.

“But who?” Bow asks. “Pretty much all of the other teachers are married. Where do you even find another lesbian in their forties?”

“Isn’t your mom-” Scorpia starts, but-

“Ew!” Adora says. Sure, her mom has maybe been a little lonely, but she’s absolutely not going to set her up with her boring stats teacher!

“She’s right,” Glimmer replies, which is not okay. She is supposed to be on Adora’s side.

“Absolutely not,” Adora says.

“I think they would be really cute together?” Bow says, which is just so far out of line. Of course he’s on Glimmer’s side. She was really excited when her best friends started dating, but if it means they are going to try to work together to get Adora another awful step-mom? She’s over it.

When she shows her her report card, Mara insists on having a meeting with Ms. Light-Hope. She comes back from it  _ smiling  _ which is just so inappropriate and gross. Who told moms they were allowed to have _romantic feelings_?

But  _ Catra  _ says Mara could use a little fun in her life. Which, okay, like, maybe Mara spent most of Adora’s childhood at work or with Adora. Maybe now that Adora’s graduating, she doesn’t spend as much time with her mom. Maybe it would be nice for her mom to date, and it’s not like Ms. Light-Hope is Shadow Weaver level terrible. She’s just boring and weird, but it seems like Mara is into that.

She supposes she’ll allow it.

Provisionally. 

*****

At Adora’s next softball game, she plays against Crimson Waste High for the first time in years. CW crushes them, absolutely slaughters them, but it’s not a total loss, because their team captain is kind of gorgeous?

If by gorgeous you mean absolutely ripped. 

Her name is Huntara, and Adora can’t stop herself. She goes up after the game and introduces herself. She even gets her number. Huntara texts her later that week to invite her to a  _ college party,  _ which seems very grown up and sophisticated. Adora is pretty sure she is both of things, so she’s totally in. 

Apparently, so is Catra. 

“Since when do you go to parties?” Adora asks on the ride over. (Mara makes her ride with Catra, which is  _ so lame _ .) “I didn’t think you would abase yourself by engaging in festivities with the unwashed masses.”

“Someone’s studying for the SAT,” Catra says. 

Adora got a 1400 on her SAT, but she knows Catra is just trying to get a rise out of her. 

“Seriously, why are you going?” she asks.

“I like the band,” Catra replies simply. 

Adora didn’t know there was going to be a live band performing, but if Catra likes them, she’s sure they’re terrible. 

They get to the party, and Adora immediately goes to find Scorpia. Once she found out Lonnie would be there, she had to make sure that Scorpia came as well. Scorpia’s standing off in the corner, looking nervous but totally cute in a long red dress.

“Scorpia,you look so good!” Adora tells her. It’s not the shade of lipstick Adora would have gone with, but the dark vampy look kind of works for Scorpia. 

“I don’t know Adora, I kind of feel like I don’t belong here,” Scorpia says, shoulders drooping. It’s exactly what Adora wanted to avoid- Scorpia should feel like she belongs everywhere. She is a mega-hottie with amazing biceps, and how dare anyone make her doubt herself. 

Adora looks around to try to find Lonnie, but she is dancing with Rogelio and Kyle? Which is so not what Adora would have expected from her. Seriously,  _ Kyle?!  _ Adora misjudged her cool factor in a big way. 

She sees Huntara, but she doesn’t want to abandon Scorpia while she’s already feeling insecure. 

Then, suddenly, the night is saved, albeit by an unexpected source. 

“Hey, Adora,” Catra says. “Scorpia. How’s it going?”

“Oh, fine,” Scorpia says, but her tone doesn’t match her words. 

“Come dance with me,” Catra says, holding out a hand and Scorpia takes it.

Catra is actually kind of a good dancer? Scorpia is absolutely not, but it seems to make her feel better to have someone to dance with, and it’s a totally nice gesture. Sure, Catra is a dork with bad fashion sense (who told her  _ maroon _ was an appropriate signature color?) and terrible taste in television, but she can be kind of sweet. 

Adora finally makes her way to Huntara, now that she doesn't have to worry about Scorpia. The moment Huntara sees her she grabs her by the hand and twirls her around to the beat of the song. There's something to be said about a girl who can toss Adora around like that. 

She’s just… so not mad about it.

Huntara apparently  _ really _ likes dancing. Any time Adora goes to take a water break, Huntara keeps dancing. It seems like she doesn’t know that Adora’s shoes were chosen solely for how they make her legs and ass look. 

Huntara kisses Adora’s cheek goodbye, so at least the shoes had  _ some _ positive effect. 

The second they get into Catra’s car, Adora kicks her shoes off and groans. 

“Thanks so much for giving me a ride,” Scorpia says for like the fourteenth time. “It was so nice of you to offer, Catra.”

“I’m not just going to leave a high schooler to take a bus in the middle of the night,” Catra replies.

Then Scorpia thanks her again when she gets dropped off. And, like, Adora gets that she’s Canadian, but calm down, Scorpia. 

Adora gets a text from her before they even get home about how nice Catra was earlier that night. It’s weird, she decides, but she’s also tired, so she scrubs a makeup wipe over her face and goes to bed.

*****

She doesn’t hear anything from Huntara until the next Friday night at 11:27 pm, when her phone vibrates with a text.

_ hey, u up? _

_ Barely! I just got home from a game in Thaymore. _

_ come over? _

_ Like, for a movie? _

_ like, to fuck _

Adora sets her phone face down on her bed and looks around the room. It’s dumb, because she knows no one is there. She turns her phone over again, but the message still hasn’t changed. Then her phone buzzes again.

_ u ok princess? _

A heat rises in her cheeks. Huntara is waiting for a response, but Adora has no idea what to say. 

She’s not going over to Huntara’s house for... that. Maybe if they’d gone on a few dates first and gotten to know each other a little better. 

She can suggest that, she realizes. If Huntara can be that brazen, it certainly wouldn’t be too bold of Adora to ask for a date?

_ I would want to get to know you a little better first. _

_ Maybe we could go to the art museum together tomorrow? _

She doesn’t get a response for several minutes, and she’s about ready to call Bow in a panic. Bow always knows what to say to calm her down.

_ i don’t really do that _

_ but if you change your mind _

_ i’ve been told i’m really good with my mouth _

_ I’ll keep that in mind. _

Adora texts (because how could she forget, now that the idea is out in the world?), but she’s not going to reach out to Huntara again.

*****

Late the next morning, she winds up lounging in a pool floatie next to Bow while Scorpia and Glimmer sit on the edge of the pool.

“I just can’t believe I totally misread the situation like that!” Adora says, covering her eyes with her arm. 

“She did kind of seem like a fuckboy,” Glimmer says casually.

“At least she was honest about what she’s looking for!” Bow says. He reaches an arm out to pull himself back to the side of the pool and sits next to Glimmer. “And you were, too, Adora. Better to know now.”

“I guess. And I can’t believe Lonnie turned out to be dating Rogelio and Kyle. I’m sorry, Scorpia,” Adora says, flipping over onto her side to look at her friend. 

“I’m kind of over Lonnie,” Scorpia admits. “I was sort of hoping you could help me out with someone else.”

“Of course!” Adora agrees. Maybe she can’t figure out her own love life, but things with Mara and Ms. Light-Hope have actually been going really well. Maybe there’s something to this matchmaking thing after all. “Who are you thinking about?”

“Do you promise you won’t be weird about it?” Scorpia asks quietly. 

Honestly, if Scorpia asks to be set up with Perfuma again, Adora will just agree this time. It turns out Perfuma is friends with Mermista, who is actually pretty popular, so Perfuma can’t be  _ that _ weird. Besides, as much as Adora likes her, Scorpia is kind of a dork. Maybe she doesn’t need a super popular girlfriend to be happy.

“No, who is it?” Adora asks eagerly.

“It’s… Catra,” Scorpia says so quietly Adora almost doesn’t hear her. 

“Oh, Glimmer, I think I hear your mom,” Bow says.

“I don’t hear anything!” Glimmer says, but Bow grabs her arm and drags her into the house.

“My… ex-step-sister Catra?” Adora asks.

“You said you wouldn’t be weird about it!” Scorpia says in a dismayed tone.

“I just.... I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Adora says slowly. She’s not sure why, but she suddenly feels queasy. “Catra’s really into her studies.”

“Are you saying I’m dumb?” Scorpia asks, voice raised.

“No!” Adora insists. “No, I just don't know if you’d… mesh well.”

“You don’t think we  _ mesh well?”  _ Her tone is suddenly scathing in a way Adora has never heard before. “Why am I listening to you to begin with? You’re a virgin who can’t drive.”

Tears fill Adora’s eyes with no warning. She feels like she can’t breathe. 

“That was way harsh, Scorp,” she says, trying her best to keep her voice steady.

“Oh, god, I know. I”m sorry,” Scorpia says, sounding like herself again. She picks up her towel from a lawn chair. “Listen, I need to cool down. I’ll text you later.”

Adora tries to catch her breath. The pool float bobs in the water and for a moment she is unbalanced. 

It feels like a metaphor or something.

*****

She takes Swift Wind out for a ride that afternoon. 

What is Scorpia’s deal, she wonders? 

Sure, Lonnie was maybe a bad choice, but of all of the people in the world she could go out with, why  _ Catra _ ?

Catra is mean. 

She’s been mean to Adora her whole life.

Or, well.

Catra was kind of mean to Adora when they were kids, and now they both tease each other in pretty much equal measure.

Still!

(She nudges Swifty to a canter.)

What would Catra and Scorpia even talk about? Everything Catra likes is boring.

And, like,  _ sure. _

Maybe Adora has been keeping up with the news so she has something to talk to Catra about. 

And maybe it’s really sweet that Catra cares so deeply about the world around her that she’s studying to be an environmental lawyer.

And maybe it was kind of nice of Catra to dance with Scorpia so she wouldn’t be alone all night.

And maybe she has come to pick Adora up across town with no warning more than once.

And maybe... 

She pulls the reins abruptly when she realizes: Adora isn’t upset because  _ Scorpia _ is into Catra. 

“I’m majorly, totally, butt-crazy in love with Catra!” 

There’s no one around to hear it, but it feels like such a huge revelation.

_ Of course _ she’s in love with Catra. Moments from the past year suddenly come back into her mind: watching TV with Catra instead of going out. Teasing Catra for putting an empty container of almond milk back in the fridge.  _ Reading the news so she had something to talk to Catra about _ . 

But what can she do about it?

This revelation is just as powerful than the first, although far less pleasant.

It’s not like she can flirt with  _ Catra _ . She can’t put on her cutest dresses and eat slowly to draw attention to her mouth. 

None of that makes sense with Catra, who has known her forever.

She’s spent the whole school year feeling like she had everything together, but maybe when it comes down to it, she’s completely clueless.

*****

She sees Scorpia a few days later at the school’s swim meet, and without saying anything they both pull each other into a hug.

“I’m so sorry!” they both say at the same time. 

“If you want to go for Catra, you totally should,” Adora tells her, although the words taste bitter in her mouth. “It was wrong of me to try to tell you who to date!”

“What I said to you was so awful! I think it’s great that you’re waiting for the right person!” Scorpia says just loudly enough that several of their classmates turn in the stands to look at them.

“I don’t care about that!” Adora exclaims, still squeezing Scorpia tight. 

“And I’m not going to go for Catra,” Scorpia tells her, and her eyes cheat to Perfuma in her school sanctioned one piece. 

It’s a huge relief, both to have Scorpia back as a friend, and to know that she’s not going to try to date Catra. She’ll be really cute with Perfuma. Adora is sure of it.

Later that day, Adora thinks about it more, and realizes that there are a whole lot of things to like about Scorpia. She’s never been embarrassed of who she is, even when Adora tried to change her. She’s sweet and kind in a way that makes the people around her want to be kinder.

All of the people in her life are kind of special, when she really thinks about it.

Glimmer is decisive and passionate. 

Bow is always there to lend an ear to anyone who needs someone to listen.

Mara is the hardest-working person Adora has ever met. She always wants what’s best for her clients.

Catra is smart and compassionate.

When Adora thinks about all the great things about the people in her life, it makes her wonder: what is she doing to make the world a better place? What qualities does she have that draw people to her? 

She can't think of anything immediately, so she makes a decision: she has to make some changes. 

The next day she goes into her statistics class and talks to Ms. Light-Hope.

“I heard you volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. Is that something I can get involved with?” Adora asks.

And for the first time, Adora sees her smile.

*****

A few weeks later she’s at home highlighting information for one of Mara’s cases. It’s her firm’s biggest client, so it’s all hands on deck. Catra is there, too. Adora still isn’t quite sure how to exist around her. Now that she knows she’s in love with her, everything she used to do with Catra suddenly feels wrong.

“Are you even listening?” some douchebag from Mara’s firm asks. “What’s the pile you’re making?"

“I’m checking for the conversations with Horde Enterprises,” Adora replies.

“Horde Enterprises?! We need the emails that mention the Heart of Etheria project! Mara needs them  _ tonight _ !” 

“I can go back and che-” Adora starts. 

“You’re done enough,” the man replies tersely.

“Don’t talk to her like that,” Catra snaps, putting both of her hands on the table.

“I told her we shouldn't have some stupid teena-”

Adora gets up and leaves before he finishes the sentence. Nothing good can come from hearing the rest of what he has to say. Her chest feels tight. All she wanted was to help Mara, but she can’t even do that right. 

She sits down on the grand staircase, just far enough away that she can’t hear what they’re saying, but Catra is clearly livid. No more than a minute later, the man storms out the door. 

Catra comes to find her sitting on the grand staircase.

“Hey,” Adora says softly. “Thanks for sticking up for me.”

“He shouldn’t have yelled at you like that,” Catra says, voice still heated. “Or called you stupid. You’re not stupid.”

“I kind of was, if I messed up the case,” Adora says, looking down at her feet. She notices a hole in one of her socks.

“Hey,” Catra says softly. “You didn’t mess up the case. You were helping- it won’t take very long to sort those files again.”

“He sounded so mad,” Adora replies. She hates that she’s tearing up over this.

“He’s an asshole,” Catra says. “Why are you even helping him, anyway? I’m trying to become a lawyer, so it’s good experience for me, but you… you’re not interested in any of that. You should be out with your friends. Shopping or something.”

It hurts a little.

“Is that what you think of me?” Adora asks. “Just a dumb kid who’s always shopping?”

“No, I know you work out, too,” Catra teases, but when Adora sniffles, Catra puts a hand on her shoulder. “Adora. Of course that’s not what I think of you. You care so much about your friends and your mom. You’re just… really sweet.”

“You think I’m sweet?” Adora asks softly.

“What?!” Catra says in a high voice. “No!”

“But you said it! You said I’m sweet!”

“Ugh, no I didn’t! It’s not like I like you or something!”

But her face is red.

“You do like me!” Adora gasps.

“No, I- okay fine!” Catra says, eyes looking right into Adora’s. “I like you!”

“Catra, I-” Adora starts, but she doesn’t know what to say. She looks at Catra’s lips, suddenly much closer than they were moment ago.

“Can I-?” Catra starts.

“Yeah,” Adora interrupts, and their lips meet.

And it’s perfect.

***** 

A few months later, Glimmer is helping Adora fix the world’s most poorly timed lipstick smudge.

“You’re going to be fine,” Glimmer insists, but will she be fine?  _ Will she? _

“It’s going to ruin the whole wedding!” Adora whines, trying to move her lower lip as little as possible. At least she hasn’t ruined her hair yet. The updo had taken forever, but it looks so sleek and sophisticated. 

“ _ Woooooooow _ . Way to make it all about you."

“Catra!” Adora hisses. “You’re not supposed to be here!” 

But she is, and she looks better than Adora imagined. Her suit is a maroon satin, and as frustrating as it was when Catra insisted on that color, it looks really good on her. She still hasn’t managed to tie her bowtie, but it looks kind of hot just dangling around her neck.

“All of the guests are seated,” Catra assures her. “My duties as usher are complete. What’s the matter?”

“My lipstick smudged!” Adora tells her. At this point, Glimmer has given up on fixing it. In fact, she seems to have left the room entirely.

“Here, let me fix it,” Catra says, and she leans in for a kiss. Adora makes a frustrated noise, but she allows Catra to kiss her softly. “Almost got it.”

She kisses Adora a few more times, and while she’s sure it isn’t helping her lipstick, it does calm her down.

“Are you ready to walk your mom down the aisle?” Catra asks softly.

Adora looks up to try to keep tears from falling out of her eyes and ruining her makeup. She still can’t believe Mara asked her to give her away. 

“I’m ready,” Adora says. She casts a last glance into the mirror at her lipstick, which doesn’t look as bad as she remembered. It’s really just a small smudge at the bottom- from any distance it just looks like she over lined her lips on purpose. 

“You look beautiful,” Catra says. There’s a sincerity to her tone that Adora has never really heard from her before, and it stops her for just a moment. 

Adora usually feels beautiful. She knows how she looks- shiny blonde hair, big blue eyes, compact but powerful muscles. Her sense of fashion has always been kind of a point of pride. And today, in particular, with her professionally done hair and makeup, in a soft pink dress, she knows that she is kind of a sight to behold.

But hearing it from Catra in such a reverent tone...

“So do you,” Adora says with a smile.

“What, me? No, you’re-” Catra interrupts with a shy laugh.

“Nope,” Adora interrupts. “I have a super beautiful girlfriend. Trust me, I’ve seen her naked.”

“Adora!” Scorpia calls from the hallway. “Your mom is ready for you! And don’t worry, I didn’t hear anything you just said!”

They both laugh, and Adora kisses Catra one more time before going to find her mom. 

*****

"I never had any children. If things don't work out with Catra, you'll have to find your next girlfriend on your own," Marcia (Light-Hope-Grayskull) tells her during the reception. 

Adora laughs so hard she snorts. 

"That was funny!" Adora replies.

“It was not intended to be,” Marcia says in a perplexed tone. “I really don’t have a daughter.”

Happily, Catra comes to save her. 

“Congratulations,” she tells Marcia before turning to Adora, arm extended. “Dance with me?”

Of course, Adora takes her hand. 


End file.
